San Diego Chapter honors areas best in the business
The San Diego County Chapter of the California Restaurant Association (CRA) hosted its 23rd annual Gold Medallion Awards Banquet on Wednesday, May 9 at the Town & Country Resort.

The most distinguished awards went to Tracy Borkum, owner of Urban Kitchen, Chive, Kensington Grill and Laurel Restaurant, for Restaurateur of the Year and to Brian Malarkey, Executive Chef at The Oceanaire Seafood Room, for Chef of the Year.

The public was asked to vote for one award category, the People's Choice Award. Voters selected The Marine Room at La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club as their favorite San Diego County restaurant.

CRA President and CEO Jot Condie (l), Mike Mitchell of the Oceanaire Seafood Room, Chantelle Malarkey of the Oceanaire Seafood Room and Brian Malarkey, Chef of the Year recipeint, also with the Oceanaire Seafood Room.
For a complete list of winners, ( click here ).

CRAVE ... The Experience
CRAVE...The Experience is a must-attend affair, bringing more than 750 industry leaders together against a backdrop of fine décor, savory food, quality spirits and unique entertainment. This interactive networking event happens only once a year - you won't want to miss it!

Sunday, August 19
Union Bank, Coral Tree Plaza
445 S. Figueroa
Los Angeles
8:00-11:30 p.m.

For ticket or sponsorship information, please call Enid Gallegos at
800.765.4842 ext. 2738.

Visit the Flex Your Power Awards (click here) page to see how California businesses are saving energy, money and the environment. The 2005 and 2006 Flex Your Power Award Winners have saved over one billion kilowatt-hours of electricity, celebrate leadership and learn how you can save too (click here) .

Shannon Diversified offers state-of-the art, professional hood/exhaust cleaning services. Unlike our competitors, Shannon is a certified company that has been in the industry for 17 years. With our specialized techniques, quality control processes and attention to detail we offer the best possible service in the industry. Call 800.794.2345 or visit our Web site at www.Shannonco.com .

Community service awards to honor nation's restaurateurs

Applications are now available for the 2007 Restaurant Neighbor Awards.

The awards recognize outstanding community service among the nation's restaurants. In addition, the Cornerstone Humanitarian Award is presented to an individual for his or her personal dedication and long-term commitment to community service.

Each year, four national winners are chosen from a pool of state award recipients to receive $5,000 each to support their favorite charity or community project. They also receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., to be honored at a special awards ceremony during the National Restaurant Association's (NRA) Public Affairs Conference in September.

Applications must be submitted to the NRA by Friday, June 15. For more information and an application, please click here.

The ultimate recipe showdown

The Food Network is now casting for a new show called "The Ultimate Recipe Showdown." The Food Network is looking for original recipes in one of the following categories: chicken, burgers, pasta, comfort food, cakes and cookies. Each category has sub-categories for specific dishes. If you have a new twist on a classic dish, this is the show for you! All entries must be received by May 25.

For more information, please visit the Food Network Web Site (click here) .

"SHOES FOR CREWS has helped reduce our slips & falls by 80% within the last two years." Fatburger Corp. SHOES FOR CREWS Slip-Resistant Footwear grips wet and greasy floors with amazing traction! There is NO COST to your company; employees make easy payments via Payroll Deduction. Ask us about free test samples. Call 866.218.9792 or contact us click here today!

SCIF Supervisor Safety Training Program
Join the Restaurant Supervisor Safety Training Program Thursday, June 14 at the Santa Ana District Office, 1750 E. Fourth Street. This short training program is designed to help you work with your staff to design a creative, simple health and safety plan for your restaurant. Geared toward increasing employee productivity and lowering your workers' compensation costs, it is the best way to reduce costs and avoid injuries in the workplace. This seminar is offered at no charge. For more information regarding registration, please call State Compensation Insurance Fund at 562.402.5578 or e-mail srdupree@scif.com.

Santa Cruz County Chapter Membership Meeting
The Santa Cruz County Chapter invites you to come learn about green business alternatives and network with fellow restaurateurs at this membership meeting and mixer on Thursday, May 24, from 4:00-7:00 pm. It will be held at the Hollins House Restaurant at the Pasatiempo Golf Club, 20 Clubhouse Road, Santa Cruz. There is no charge to attend, please RSVP to chapterevents@calrest.org or call 800.765.4842 ext. 2895.

Orange County Chapter Festival of Golf
The CRA will host the 18th Annual Orange County Festival of Golf on Wednesday, May 30, at the Talega Golf Club, 990 Avenida Talega, San Clemente. Tickets start at $275 per golfer and sponsorship opportunities are still available. For more information, please call 800.765.4842, ext. 2895 or e-mail chapterevents@calrest.org.

Please click here for a complete listing of all CRA events.

Do you want to avoid drive-by lawsuits? Don't miss the opportunity to learn access compliance from a recognized expert! Are these elements of your business compliant: restrooms, doors, aisles, tables, counters, accessible counter, accessible parking, path of travel from parking, curb ramps vs. pedestrian ramps, detectable warnings/truncated domes and other elements? ARA Training Institute introduces a series of specialized trainings for access compliance. These trainings will teach you about access and what you need to know about your obligations under the ADA and CA Title 24 Regulations. Don't be a business caught off guard and have to pay for the defense of a drive-by lawsuit! Register now at ARA Training Institute (click here) to attend the workshop that starts you on your way to access compliance. Space is limited to better serve attendees. Special rates for CRA members.

BMI - Music licensing. Special rates for CRA Members. Contact Cleve Murphy at 800.925.8451 or visit www.bmi.com.

eGroupBenefits.com - Employee benefit programs and group individual health, dental and life insurance. Contact Taylor Thorne at 888.878.2065 or visit www.egroupbenefits.com.

Carlton DiSante & Freudenberger, LLP. - Labor and employment law-related services. Contact Mark Spring in Northern California at 916.391.0991 or David Osborne in Southern California at 858.646.0007 or visit www.cdflaborlaw.com.

HCareers - The restaurant industry's leading online job site. Contact Steve Scott at 800.832.3738 ext. 412 or visit www.hcareers.com.

National Tax Credit Group, LLC. - Specializes in maximizing hiring and equipment tax credits, with an average saving of $250,000 per EZ location. Logon to: www.ntcgtax.com or call Chuck Swenson, CPA, MBT at 800.791.3589 or Deborah Van Horn, CPA at 415.955.2661.

Pacific Handy Cutter, Inc. - Pacific Handy Cutter, Inc. is a world leader in the manufacture of Disposable Safety Cutters, Hook Knives, Film Cutters and Bag Cutters. For more information regarding our products please visit us on the web at www.pacifichandycutter.com, via e-mail: safety@pacifichandycutter.com, or contact us at (800) 229-2233.

Payless Shoe Source - Protect your employees and your business.
Getting your workers into safer, slip-resistant footwear just got a whole lot easier. That's because Safe T Step® from Payless ShoeSource® eliminates the hassles associated with work shoe programs while stepping up the benefits. Featuring a unique tread design and chemically modified rubber soles, Safe T Step® footwear helps protect workers from injury and helps protect you from lawsuits, workers' comp claims and absenteeism. Contact Payless ShoeSource at 1-800-231-9415 for information about our Employee Discount Program or visit our website www.safetstep.com () .

State Compensation Insurance Fund - California's leading workers' compensation carrier. Contact Dennis Gad at 800.252.0419 or visit www.scif.com.

Tucker Safety Products - Tucker Safety Products leads the industry with protective apparel for commercial kitchens - offering oven mitts, cut resistant gloves, aprons, etc. Visit www.tuckersafetyproducts.com for more information.

UCA General Insurance Services, Inc. - Discounted property and liability insurance for the restaurant industry. Call Paula Moore at 877.644.9232 or e-mail pmoore@calrest.org.

For more than a century, Alsco has offered a complete line of linen, chef coats and dining service uniforms, a variety of floor mats to provide a safe and professional image for your guests and employees as well as the latest in restroom technology and hygiene with the new All Fresh Facility Services program. For more information, visit www.alsco.com .